Tug vehicle with rear corner window

ABSTRACT

A corner window for use in tug type truck vehicles through which a driver can engage and disengage air lines and electrical hookups to a truck trailer. A number of individual window panes are hinged together, and rollers at the tops and bottoms of the couplings travel within tracks forming the bottom and top window casings. At least one sheet of flexible insulation material is arranged adjacent to the exterior of each window at the upper and lower tracks. The insulation material deforms to remain in continuous sealing contact with the window as the panes project beyond the tracks as the window negotiates the curves in the tracks.

n 11 3,709,521 Jan. 9, 1973 United States Patent [191 Davis 3,426,27312/1969 Williams et al. ................296/28 C X [541 TUG VEHICLE WITHREAR CORNER WINDOW Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia AttorneyB. Deon Criddle[75] Inventor: Walter L. Davis, Sandy, Utah [73] Assignee: Ibex, aDivision of Jelco, Salt Lake [57] ABSTRACT A corner window for use intug type truck vehicles through which a driver can engage and disengageair City, Utah [22] Filed: Aug. 9, 1971 lines and electrical hookups toa truck trailer. A number of individual window panes are hingedtogether, and rollers at the tops and bottoms of the couplings travelwithin tracks forming the bottom and 1 2 Q34 c w 8800 men 9mC 23 ,5

l d/ 2 6 M on 8 m 1 mmm 0 an um 0 mm 7 aw 1 "an NW2 0 "us N L m .c..u S.l P .m A UIF 1. 11.1 1 2100 2 555 .l. .l:l:l

top window casings. At least one sheet of flexible insulation materialis arranged adjacent to the exterior of each window at the upper andlower tracks. The insulation material deforms to remain in continuousseal- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ing contact with thewindow as the panes project 5 e v r U c e h t w m m m u .W H, u w n 0 .ld w .m r w D e h t S m m S .m & C m 5. S k 6 ma 6 Wm mm .AMM 4 4 /8/ 040828% 2,626,552 1/1953 Oehler et 2,733,033 7 1/1956Gunderson................ 3,279,823 10/1966 Thouvenelle et al. 3,341,2479/1967 Martinmaas.......................

PATENTEDJMI 9191a SHEET 1 [IF 2 FIG 2 5 f .3 m, 4 m ,L ww/ L INVENTOR.

WALTER L. DAVIS.

ATTORNEY.

PATENTEDJAN 9191a 3.109.521

sum 2 OF 2 n FIG 4 so 300 FIG 3 ATTORNEY.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to a window assembly which is easily opened and closedover a corner window in the rear of a vehicle cab.

2. Prior Art Small cabbed vehicles known as tugs are frequently used inthe yards of trucking companies to move and park large truck cargotrailers. The tugs must be frequently connected to and disconnected fromthe trailers and it is very time consuming for an operator to have toclimb out of a tug cab each time it is necessary to hook up the air andelectrical systems of the tug to the corresponding systems of a trailer,or to disconnect them.

In the past, tugs have been provided with an open cab, from whichhookups can be made, or with a closed cab having the usual vehicle fixedrear window. On occasion a flexible closure of plastic or other suitableflexible material is arranged to close a cab opening such that anoperator can lift the closure out of the way when it is necessary forhim to reach through the opening to make a hookup. All such priorarrangements have proven at least somewhat unsatisfactory as the driveris forced to climb in and out of the tug, or is exposed to the open airduring all use of the tug, or he is forced to roll up a coveringofplastic or like material every time access is necessary to reachthrough the rear of the vehicle cab to make a hookup. The presentinvention provides a rear corner vehicle window which can be left openwhen the weather permits or that can be easily and rapidly opened andclosed during adverse weather.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a tug having a rear corner window through which anoperator can easily reach to make hookups of air, electrical andhydraulic systems between the tug and cargo trailers.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a window for arear corner of a vehicle cab that can be easily moved between a fullyopened and a closed position and that will form parts of the cab wall atthe corner.

Other objects are to provide a window which is capable of being rapidlyand easily opened and closed by an operator sitting within the vehiclecab.

Principal features of the present invention include a tug having acomposite corner window comprising a number of individual window panes,each of which is individually framed, and hinge means interconnectingthe panes. Rollers are provided at the top and bottom of each hingemeans and the rollers travel freely within closed tracks positionedwithin the interior of the cab ofthe tug. The composite window and upperand lower tracks are arranged such that an operator can lean through therear corner of the tug cab and can, therefore, reach a maximum distancetowards the rear of the tug during hookups.

Other features include the placement of one or more layers of flexiblesheet material proximate to the exterior of the window. on line witheach window track. An edge of each sheet or panel rests against theoutside of the window to provide a weather seal therebetween in at leastsome positions of the window. The sheets deform to adjust to lateralmovement within and movement outward from the track, of the individualwindow panes as they negotiate the bends in the tracks.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description and drawings, disclosing what ispresently contemplated as being the best modes of the invention.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tug type vehicle of theinvention with an operator in the cab thereof reaching through thecorner window to manipulate an air coupling;

FIG. 2, a perspective view of the interior of the tug cab of FIG. 1,showing the tracks within which the window travels and with the cornerwindow in position closing the corner opening;

FIG. 3, a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a horizontal section view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, a top plan view of the sheet seal shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6, a similar view of the sheet seals shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7, an enlarged, partially broken away view taken within line 7-7 ofFIG. 2, showing the window sections hinged together and with typicalroller structure on an end of the hinge and within a typical windowtrack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the tug vehicle of theinvention, shown generally at 10 includes a cab 11, frame 12 and wheels13. Conventional vehicle power, steering and braking systems not shown,are provided and a conventional automatic trailer coupling unit 14 isprovided on the frame of the truck,'behind the cab. A composite cornerwindow, shown generally at 15, includes a series of window panes 16a,16b, 16c and 16d, and the usual vehicle side window is shown at 17. Thepanes l6a-16d are respectively enclosed within frames 18a, 18b, 18c and18d and the frames of adjacent window panes are articulatively connectedby hinges 19, shown best in FIG. 7. Overlapping brackets 20 and 21,shown typically in FIG. 7, are respectively secured to the top andbottom edges of adjacent frames l8a-I8.

The hinges l9 comprise tubular spacers 22 extending between the upperand lower overlapping brackets and shafts 23 extending through thespacers and through the overlapping brackets. Each shaft 23 have groovedrollers 24 journalled thereon and the rollers are arranged to travelwithin inturned flanges 25a and 25b of guide channels 25 that arearranged above and below the frames 180-1811. End caps 26 on the ends ofthe shafts 23 hold the rollers in place.

rear and side walls and on the side wall and along the window 17. Thediagonal distance between the respective legs on the side and rear wallsis essentially the same as the width of one window pane and itsassociated frame.

The composite window is shown in FIG. 2, positioned to close the cornerwindow opening of cab l I. As best seen in FlGS. 3 and 4, thin flexibleupper and lower seals 28 and 29, respectively, of rubber or othersuitable material are arranged to have portions thereof resting on thewindow 15; The seals 28 and 29 are attached by rigid anchoring strips 30and rivets 30a to the vehicle cab.

Upper seal 28 is made up of three pieces 28a, 28b and 28c arranged suchthat the essentially rectangular piece 28a is on the edge of the windowopening formed in the rear of cab 11 and abuts the rectangular piece28b, which is on the edge of the window opening at the side of the cab.The piece 28c is triangular and is placed in the corner formed by pieces28:: and 28b and overlies them. The anchoring strips 30 clamp theoutermost edges of the seal 28 to the cab housing and the innermostedges engage the panes 16a-l6d of the window when the panes are withinthe window opening and turn downwardly. The end of piece 280 remote frompiece 28b is diagonally cut, at angled edge 280', so that as thecomposite window is moved in the upper guide channel 25 in and out ofcontact with seal 28, the seal will be guided onto the side of thewindow and will not prevent travel of the window into and out of thewindow opening.

Upper seal 28 remains in continuous contact with the panes of thewindow, except that contact may be lost with a pane as it moves from onestraight portion of track to another. The cab overhang prevents moistureentering the cab any openings that may develop between the seal 28 andthe window.

Lower seal 29 is made up of two pieces 29a and 29b, each of which has along extension and an enlarged somewhat triangular corner portion. Piece29a extends along the window opening at the rear of the cab housing andthe corner portion thereof is angled at 29c to correspond to the channel25, and has a curved notch 29d therein to insure pickup of the piece 29by a returning window pane. A diagonal or angled edge 29c at the end ofpiece 29a insures pickup of the piece as the window panes are moved intothe window opening.

The enlarged portion of piece 29b overlies and forms a continuation ofthe angled portion 29c of piece 29a at 29f, and a recessed curved notch29g that insures pickup of the extended portion of piece 29b in onedirection of travel of the window panes and pickup of the enlargedportion in the other direction of travel.

ln operation, the window 15 is moved in channel 25 between a fullyopened position on the side wall of cab housing H and a fully closedposition extending along the side and rear walls and closing the openingformed at the corner intersection of the side and rear walls of the cab.

In operation, an operator will position the tug such that it can becoupled to a trailer. Then he will grasp the handle 31 (FIG. 4)projecting from a frame, here shown as frame 18d, to slide the windowpanes in channels 25 to the side wall of the cab and completely out ofthe corner window opening. The operator can then reach fully through thewindow opening to make the hookup of air and electrical systems betweentug and trailer. Thereafter the window can again be rolled to'its closedposition wherein the leading edge of frame 18a abuts cab housing 11 atthe rear of the cab.

Each window pane is dimensioned to have the same top and bottomdimensions as the upper and lower track section which extends at 45 withrespect to those straight sections which are normal to one another.Thus, the pivot connections between panes allow them to be travelledaround the tracks.

As the composite window moves from its open position to its closedposition the leading edges of the window frames contact the angled edges28d and 29e of the upper and lower seals 28 and 29, respectively, andfolds the seals back so that the seals thereafter remain in constantcontact with the sides of the window panes.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, itis to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example andthat variations are possible without departing from the subject mattercoming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter Iregard as my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination a tug type truck having a cab extending from one sideto the middle thereof at the front of the truck frame; I i a cornerwindow opening in the rear of the truck cab at the corner in the middleof the truck frame; air and electrical hookup lines at the center of thetruck frame adjacent to the rear of the truck cab and accessible to anoperator sitting within the cab and reaching through the said windowopening, whereby said hookup lines can be connected to a trailer coupledto said truck; a window; and means mounting said window whereby saidwindow is movable to a position closing the corner window opening and aposition completely out of the way of said opening. 2. The combinationof claim 1, wherein the window comprises a pluraiity of individuallyframed window panes, said frames all being of the same size; hinge meansinterconnecting the frames of adjacent panes; and wherein the meansmounting the window includes upper and lower tracks each having straightsections on the side of the cab and on the rear of the cab and with saidstraight sections extending normal to one another and connected by adiagonal straight section, said diagonal straight section having thesame length as a window pane and frame thereon and extending at aforty-five degree angle with respect to said straight sections.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the means mounting said windowfurther includes a shaft extending through each hinge means; rollersjournaled onto the opposite ends of said shafts, and travelling withinsaid guide tracks. 4. The combination of claim 3, further includingupper and lower seal means fixed to the cab and positioned at the topand bottom of the window opening and adjacent to and butting against theoutside of the corner window when the said window is in place over thewindow opening.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the sealing means each includes aplurality of overlapping flexible panels at the top and bottom of thewindow opening which panels overlap each other at the corner of thevehicle cab, each of said panels 5 being formed to be deflected by thewindow panes of the window whereby portions of the panels rest againstthe panes during travel of the window.

1. In combination a tug type truck having a cab extending from one sideto the middle thereof at the front of the truck frame; a corner windowopening in the rear of the truck cab at the corner in the middle of thetruck frame; air and electrical hookup lines at the center of the truckframe adjacent to the rear of the truck cab and accessible to anoperator sitting within the cab and reaching through the said windowopening, whereby said hookup lines can be connected to a trailer coupledto said truck; a window; and means mounting said window whereby saidwindow is movable to a position closing the corner window opening and aposition completely out of the way of said opening.
 2. The combinationof claim 1, wherein the window comprises a plurality of individuallyframed window panes, said frames all being of the same size; hinge meansinterconnecting the frames of adjacent panes; and wherein the meansmounting the window includes upper and lower tracks each having straightsections on the side of the cab and on the rear of the cab and with saidstraight sections extending normal to one another and connected by adiagonal straight section, said diagonal straight section having thesame length as a window pane and frame thereon and extending at aforty-five degree angle with respect to said straight sections.
 3. Thecombination of claim 2, wherein the means mounting said window furtherincludes a shaft extending through each hinge means; rollers journaledonto the opposite ends of said shafts, and travelling within said guidetracks.
 4. The combination of claim 3, further including upper and lowerseal means fixed to the cab and positioned at the top and bottom of thewindow opening and adjacent to and butting against the outside of thecorner window when the said window is in place over the window opening.5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the sealing means each includes aplurality of overlapping flexible panels at the top and bottom of thewindow opening which panels overlap each other at the corner of thevehicle cab, each of said panels being formed to be deflected by thewindow panes of the window whereby portions of the panels rest againstthe panes during travel of the window.